A DRUG-addicted burglar escaped being sent to jail so he can continue on the "road to rehabilitation."

Gareth Johnson, 21, told police he was looking for shelving when they caught him in an unoccupied property in Derby Street, Colne.

The defendant, who had six previous convictions for burglary, had a small screwdriver on him when searched and told officers he had found it in the house.

Johnson had referred himself to a drug rehabilitation unit, had been accepted but was awaiting funding, Burnley Magistrates heard.

Johnson, of Newmarket Street, Colne, admitted burglary. He was given a 12 months community rehabilitation order by the bench, who said the offence crossed the custody threshold but his response to a previous community penalty had "far exceeded national standards."

The court was told when Johnson was taken to the police station, he was under the influence of heroin and diazepam. He fully admitted being in the property when he shouldn't have been.

Graeme Tindall, defending, said Johnson believed the house was being used by squatters. He denied causing any damage, had been able to get in and had been looking for shelving for his room which he was doing up.

The offence was at the lower end of the burglary scale and the court could defer sentence to see how he got on on the "road to rehabilitation."

The solicitor said Johnson, who was on incapacity benefits, had been working extra hard on his drug problem and was waiting for funding to go into rehabilitation. He had a clear insight into what was expected of him.